1997 Buick Park Avenue Seat Belts:front:retractor Problems

NHTSA component category: SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR · data through 07/14/2026

24Seat Belts:front:retractor complaints

11%Of all 219 complaints

#2Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How seat belts:front:retractor ranks on this vehicle

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE25 · 11.4%

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR24 · 11%

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP22 · 10%

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING13 · 5.9%

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION12 · 5.5%

Share of the 219 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 1997 Buick Park Avenue overview page.

What owners report

“DRIVER'S AND PASSENGERS SEAT BELTS WILL NOT RELEASE FROM RETRACTING MECHANISM. *SLC”NHTSA complaint 898295 — filed 10/26/2001

“THE PART IN FRONT OF THE RETRACTOR ON THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT IS DEFECTIVE, CONSUMER STATES IT WILL NOT MOVE OUT OF THE MAIN ROLLER…”NHTSA complaint 895057 — filed 08/23/2001

“AT 21,470 MILES, DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT WHEN USED, AND PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT INTERMITTENTLY WILL NOT RETRACT FROM RETRACTOR. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER…”NHTSA complaint 891206 — filed 06/26/2001

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Seat Belts:front:retractor complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 1997 Buick Park Avenue have seat belts:front:retractor problems?

Seat Belts:front:retractor is the #2 most-reported problem area on the 1997 Buick Park Avenue: 24 of 219 complaints on file (11%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 1997 Buick Park Avenue have in total?

219 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 5 involved a crash, 21 involved a fire, 9 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's seat belts:front:retractor category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.